Two semiconductor wafers, dies, and/or other substrates may be assembled utilizing through-silicon-via (TSV) structures that extend through the thickness of the substrate. However, as such devices continue to decrease in size, lower metallization layers of the included interconnect structures are evolving from single-damascene to dual-damascene structures. This evolution, however, renders the TSV structure susceptible to popping up, due at least in part to the elimination of the metal pad that previously covered the TSV structure. Moreover, the additional manufacturing steps that would be required to reintroduce the metal pad covering the TSV structure would excessively drive up complexity and device cost while potentially decreasing product yield.